Friends Aboard NB Tacet

Monday, 21 March 2016

We left our moorings Saturday and headed towards Blisworth Tunnel,
it was very wet inside the tunnel and we passed 3 boats coming in the other
direction. We came out of the tunnel and found Stoke Bruerne almost deserted
with only 4 boats at the top of the locks so we moored for the evening.

Stoke Bruerne

Deserted Moorings At Stoke Bruerne

We went out for a meal in the Navigation Inn.
The meal was very nice indeed.

Sharon had a walk up to the Canal Museum and came back
telling me about a book she had seen about the life of Sister Mary Ward who was
a nurse from Stoke Bruerne to the crews off narrowboats. Sharon dispatched me
to have a look as she was unsure what the cost of it was. The book was 18.99
and very interesting it is it is called Care on the Cut well worth a purchases.

We woke on Sunday morning the sun was shining on our last day of cruising on are year out on the cut. We were feeling very sad as we went
down the first 2 locks alone and then we were lucky enough to catch up with a couple
who had waited for us at the next lock.

Tacet And Frogmore In The Lock

Tacet And Frogmore

Approaching The last Lock.

We had a very lovely cruise down with them and said are
goodbyes and cruised off very slowly to Kingfisher Marina where we have a
mooring. We arrived and turned in and moored at our temporary mooring.

Church, sheep and lambs

Back To Where We Started From

Monday morning our dear friend Louise picked me up so I
could collect our car from Ipswich as we plan to return home on Wednesday.

We have had a truly wonderful year on Tacet. We have seen so many wonderful places and wonderful sights.
We have met some lovely people who have become good friends.
We our looking forward to our next cruise out on Tacet very soon.

Friday, 18 March 2016

We made our way to Watford locks and as we approached the lock keeper opened
the lock and we went straight in. The lock keeper stayed with us all the way
down and we were soon through the 7 locks and heading to Norton Junction where
we turned left towards the Buckby Flight of locks. We went down the first lock
and moored at a very nice spot near Anchor Cottage which does wonderful canal
art. We brought our Barrel and flower tub for here when we started our
adventure it was good to chat with Alison again.

Double Locks Big Gates

Scarey Sites

Jules Fuels & Barge On Bank

Wednesday we untied and carried on down the remaining 6 remaining locks and as these are double locks it took me awhile to get into the routine
of working them.

We quickly moored at Weedon and went to Tesco Express to get some provisions.

We were quite quickly down the locks and cruised on to Stowe
Hill Wharf as we needed to fill with diesel.

Stowe Hill Wharf is the home of
Rugby Boat Sales where we brought Tacet 2 years ago. It was good to see Steve
and Dominic again. We filled with diesel 54.9 ppl cheapest we found all year.

We moored just round from the wharf opposite the caravan
site. Thursday we set about doing a bit of cleaning of Tacet me doing the outside and Sharon the inside. I got the best deal as it was a beautiful sunny day.

Eddy Helping Whilst enjoying The Sun

Friday we set off towards Gayton and although the weather
was overcast we had a lovely short cruise and moored up for the evening.

Tuesday, 15 March 2016

We left Braunston on Friday 11th and as we were
at the water point filling up another boat passed so after the usual
pleasantries I asked if they would wait for us at the bottom lock.

When we
approached the bottom lock we saw the boat waiting for us so we had a buddy all
the way up the 6 Locks. It’s a lot easier going up in pairs and with a really
good crew we were soon up the locks and heading towards Braunston tunnel.

Sarah And Unknow Gents Boat.

Lock Keepers Cottage

An Old Steel Ice Breaker Called Sharpness

The
weather was really lovely after the fog had lifted and we had a wonderful
cruise up to the Leicester Arm of the Grand Union canal where we moored for the
evening in beautiful sunshine. A lovely boat moored behind us and it was sarah and Andy a
couple I had spoken to in Braunston who live in a lovely little town called
Sudbury which is not far from where we live.

Saturday we woke to a foggy start so we waited for the sun
to burn off the fog. We set off to Watford locks and cruised along in super
weather, we arrived at Watford locks and booked in with the lock keeper. We
only had to wait for 15 minutes and then we were off. Watford locks have 3 normal locks then a staircase of 4 locks which means the top set of gates
become the bottom gates when moving up. You have to operate the ground paddles
correctly or you can get into all sorts of problems.

Not One Of Mine.
Taken Off The Internet
Unknown photographer.

As we cruised up to Crick
Sharon suggested that as the weather is so good why don’t we continue up to
Foxton Locks. This I was only to pleased to do and when we were through Crick Tunnel (very Wet) we continued to cruise on in
wonderful sunshine mooring by Bridge 37 for the evening.. So annoyed with myself as I forgot to charge the camera
battery. AGAIN.

Sunday again we woke to fog but at 9.00 it had cleared a lot
so we set off. The sun managed to burn the fog off and we cruised up in
wonderful weather

Foggy Morning

Visibility Good

As we rounded a rather tight bend we caught up with a
holiday boat that was being steered by a very large parrot!

Birthday Parrot (40th Party Boat)

The holiday boat
had slowed down to almost stop as it had come across a fishing competition
along the towpath so we both cruised at very slowly so not to annoy the
fisherman but at one point the holiday boat got itself in an odd position and
had to rev hard to straighten up which didn’t go down to well with some of the
fisherman who shouted at the all-girl crew. It turned out to be a 40th
Birthday of the parrot.

We arrived at Foxton locks which has 10 locks, these
are in 2 staircases of 5locks and and are really a fantastic set of locks taking you 75 feet down. We booked in
with the lock keeper and we went down the locks and turned round and headed up.
There were a lot of gongoozlers watching
the boats go up and down and we both enjoyed chatting to them and answering there questions.

We moored for the evening at the top of the locks after a fantastic day cruising.

Level with The Horizon

Looking Down

Inside One Of The Rather Deep Locks

Looking Over The Foxton Locks

Looking Up Foxton Locks

Monday we left our moorings at Foxton and cruised up to Crick not such a nice day as the wind had picked up a little and it was a bit more overcast. Still it was a nice cruise and we enjoyed the scenery.

Wednesday, 9 March 2016

Since our last blog we have both had a stinking cold Sharon
succumbed first then as always being the generous lady she is she gave it to
me. So not a lot to report in this update.

When we had both recovered from the bugs we ventured in to
Daventry by bus to get some provisions (Roger No Co-Op) from Aldi and a quick
look around the town and Tesco.

We met a really nice couple called Frank & Alison who
are from N/B Sammy Jo. They live aboard their boat and have only recently got
married.

A Wave Goodbye.

Frank Aboard Sammy Jo

We had an enjoyable evening with them both and may catch up with them
before we return to our house and the humdrum of work.

On Saturday we had a surprise visit from our friend David
who we last saw in Gunthorpe. It was so nice to see David as he always has a
few tales to tell and has both of us in stitches with his stories. It was a
shame that his wife Lorraine could not make it but she was babysitting there
Grandchildren at Tiger’s in Daventry where we have taken our Grandson Hudson to
before. We are planning to met David & Lorraine later this year.

I took a walk over the fields to Wolfhamcote church which
although no longer used for regular services it remains a consecrated building
and is looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust, it is a really lovely
old building and some of the grave stones dated back to the late 1690’s
although I imagine there are a lot older graves there I could not read all the
dates.

In Side The Church

A Rather Nice Ethereal Photo I Think

Wolfhamcote Church

A Suffolk Lamb

Twins With Braunston Church Behind

Tomorrow we will be heading off through the 6 Braunston
Locks and the rather long bendy Tunnel We may turn left at Norton Junction and go up the Watford Locks to Crick or Carry on down the Buckby Flight of locks and head to words or Marina.

So due to illness no movement for us in the last couple of
weeks.

As our adventure is coming to an end we will be making our
way back to Kingfisher Marina at Yardley Gobion where we will be mooring
Tacet.

Saturday, 27 February 2016

We have had a visit from our eldest son Justin and grandson
Hudson who came up to see us on Tuesday the 16th whilst we were moored at Braunston. As they were staying till Sunday we had plans of what we could do
with them.

We know from their last visit how much Hudson had enjoyed the Tiger
club in Daventry so on Wednesday we went there.

It was a wet morning and the
place was packed with kids and their parents, Hudson had a really great time
playing on the slides, ropes and swings.

Thursday we had decided to go to Gulliver’s Adventure land
In Milton Keynes. It has a lot of rides
that are suitable for young children. I thought Hudson might have been a wee
bit scared of some of the rides but he absolutely loved them all the only
people scared were his Dad and Granddad. Hudson’s first ride was the carousel,
he then went on the Runaway train and screamed from the moment it set off, but
when we got off he told his Nanny that he wants
to do all the fast rides which he did mostly with his dad and he loved
every single ride he is a very brave adventurous lad.

Granddad,Hudson & Dad.

Hudson Loved This One Not SureDad Did

Smiles all The Way Round.

Enjoying The Dodgems

The Runaway Train

Dad & Hudson

Loving It

Friday we went to Rugby for the day to look around some shops
so we could spoil Hudson, this we did and he was very pleased with his new
teenage Ninja Turtle pyjamas and big bag of plastic soldiers.

Saturday was a lazy day on board Tacet with Hudson helping Nanny do some cooking

The Benefits Of Helping Nanny Is

I Get To Lick The spoon.

Sunday came to
quickly as we had to say our goodbyes to Justin and our wonderful grandson
Hudson, as usual at this time there was tear’s from Nanny & Granddad even
though we know we will be seeing them soon as we are approach the end of our year’s adventure and will be heading back to Suffolk to join
the rat race again !!!.

Monday morning we set off for a short cruise, in fact it was
very short as after one hour we found some lovely moorings and moored up. We
are moored near to Onley Young offenders Institution centre and not much else.

Tacet With Onley Detention Centre & Country House In Background

Our Moorings For 2 Nights

We stayed
here till Wednesday then cruised off to Hillmorton in fabulous sunshine it was
a really wonderful days cruising.

Lovely scenery

Great Tree House

Blue Skies

A Boat leaving The Top Locks

Hillmorton Top Locks

Towards The Bottom Locks

We went down the 3 locks winded and reversed
to the water point, filled with water got rid of rubbish and other waste! and
set off back up the 3 locks to moor for the night. Thursday we set off again in
wonderful sunshine but a bit more of a chill in the air and moored at our
Monday night mooring spot.

Friday we stayed put as Sharon has come down with a nasty
cold so I polished one side of Tacet.

Today Saturday we set off back to Braunston for a couple of days we put the washing on and set off in sunny weather but with a bit of a breeze and moored in Braunston around lunch time.